Tag Archives: Vegas with Baby

Part two of our travels to Las Vegas began with the holiest of drinking days: St. Patrick’s Day! I’ve actually celebrated the holiday in Dublin, Ireland, but being in Las Vegas was sure to be unique in its own way. We began the day with cracking open a few Guinness Nitro IPAs from the six-pack I bought at Walmart as we were out the day before. The beers were an interesting blend of a smooth and non-carbonated, yet hoppy ale.

Our first stop of the day was Ketchup Premium Burger Bar, to use the Groupon we had purchased prior to our trip. Our $10 got us $20 worth of food and drinks. With beverages already in hand (and more chilling in Baby Sip’s stroller!), we elected to go with a few food items, such as their Bacon Cheese Fries, Pretzel Bites and Crunch Dog. I was particularly fond of the fries, while Mrs. Sip enjoyed the hotdog.

As we travelled around the Miracle Mile Shops, we passed Sin City Brewing, which was serving up green beers to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Since this was something Mrs. Sip and I wanted to check off our list for the day, I grabbed us a pair of 24oz German Weisse Beers, which was a great way to enjoy the odd tradition.

After some more exploring, we had a late dinner Dick’s Last Resort in the Excalibur. This restaurant boasts servers that will treat you with contempt, as well as an eclectic food menu. Using a dining credit we had for staying at the resort, we ordered their Wicked Gator alligator bites, BBQ Pulled Pork Nachos and Crabby Balls with fries. To drink, I selected the Four Peaks Kilt Lifter Scotch Ale. The alligator bites were particularly awesome and it’s no wonder the chain is known for this menu item.

The next day, we snagged last-minute tickets (through StubHub) to the Vegas Golden Knights game versus the Calgary Flames. We had always hoped to attend this contest, but when we first saw tickets for only $45 each, we hadn’t taken Baby Sip to a hockey game yet and weren’t sure how she’d handle the experience. Once we knew she’d be okay, prices to Golden Knights games had drastically risen, thanks to the team’s success. So we bided our time and when seats popped up for only $40 an hour before puck drop, we jumped. The 4-0 Vegas win, hat trick by William Karlsson and shutout for Marc-Andre Fleury made for one hell of a contest. All NHL teams should study the Golden Knights in-game experience, which is something I will never forget.

While we didn’t indulge in any drinks at the game, as we were returning to our hotel, we passed by the Pour 24 bar in New York New York, with Mrs. Sip spotting an ad for their own Golden Knights Game-Day Beer. This ended up being a delicious 16oz serving from Hop Nuts Brewing, which I believe was their The Golden Knight Belgian Golden Strong Ale, but I could be mistaken.

As we ventured out into the night again, we had to pick up some more formula for Baby Sip. After all, she’s allowed to enjoy some beverages just like mommy and daddy. As we shopped, I picked up another walking beer, this time a pint of Oskar Blues Brewing Dale’s Pale Ale. At the checkout, Mrs. Sip spotted a bottle of Kona Longboard Lager for only 99 cents, so we added that to our basket, as well.

We enjoyed these beverages en route to PBR Rock Bar. No Vegas vacation is complete for me and Mrs. Sip without a stop here. Sadly, the Doritos Crusted Mac N Cheese that I have raved about in past Sip Trips is no longer on the menu, replaced by Bacon Mac & Cheese Balls, which are equally delicious. Our other favourite menu item, the Bucking Bull Fries have also been adapted, now including a fried egg. This may be the best serving I have had of these fries, thus far. To drink, I cashed in a 2-for-1 offer Mrs. Sip had picked up earlier to receive a couple servings of Hop Valley Citrus Mistress IPA. The large serving was very tasty and lasted for a while.

After having such a good meal last time we were in town, we next made our way to The Cheesecake Factory for some dessert. Mrs. Sip ordered the Fresh Basil, Tomato and Cheese Flatbread for a small bite, while we agreed we had to try the Adam’s Peanut Butter Cup Fudge Ripple Cheesecake. This delicious and decadent treat features caramel, peanut butter, Butterfinger bits and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.

For a nightcap on the evening, we popped into the Chandelier Bar at The Cosmopolitan, home to a drink I just had to try after hearing about it. The Verbena Cocktail is a hidden menu item that just has to be tried by anyone who fancies interesting drinks. It is by far the most interesting beverage experience I’ve ever had, as my entire mouth was first number by chewing on the Sichuan flower. The drink then changes in taste and flavours as your taste buds are incredibly sensitive and feel like they’re actually growing back. I will be back to try it again, despite the high price when converted into Canadian dollars.

Sadly, the time to return home had finally come, but we had time for one more great experience at Lilia’s Mexican Cuisine & Cantina in Bellingham, Washington. My order of Tacos Al Pastor was wonderful. Just as fantastic was my beer selection of Iron Horse Quilter’s Irish Death Dark Smooth Ale, which was on special for just $4.

In closing, my main goal with this vacation was to disprove an article we read prior to our trip where a mother proclaimed that people should not travel to Las Vegas with babies. Sure, the trip could have been different, perhaps even easier, but I wouldn’t trade in the time we shared together for anything.

Well, it’s back to reality after our recent trip to Las Vegas. The town is definitely a little different with Baby Sip in tow, but we still managed to have an amazing time. Here is part one of our experiences from the strip and beyond:

Mrs. Sip was already in the city, having left a few days before me for a girl’s trip. That meant I was flying solo with Baby Sip for the first time and while she was pretty well-behaved on the flight, it was still an exhausting experience. When I arrived, I was in desperate need of a drink and Mrs. Sip must have read my mind. As we met up, she had a bottle of Victory Brewing Golden Monkey Belgian Tripel in hand for me. At least I had a limited edition New York Cheesecake Kit Kat Chunky to surprise her with, in return.

Next up was grabbing a walking beer, which I enjoyed as we dined at Il Fornaio within New York New York. Following dinner, we visited The Chocolate Bar for some dessert cocktails. I selected the Hershey’s Chocolate Caramel Martini, while Mrs. Sip chose the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Martini. Both drinks were pure decadence and very boozy. We were feeling pretty buzzed after these beverages, but the night wasn’t over yet.

One girl from our group had money to be used at Nine Fine Irishmen, so she ordered as many drinks as would cover the credit. From this collection, I picked out a pint of Blue Moon, which I then enjoyed while watching the dueling pianos show from outside the Bar at Times Square. A fine way to end my and Baby Sip’s first day in Sin City.

As the girls went off to enjoy their last night together, I took Baby Sip back to our room, stopping for a road beer along the way. I didn’t get to immediately enjoy my New Belgium Brewing Dayblazer Easygoing Ale, thanks to my aforementioned fatigue and Baby Sip needing to be put to bed, so it made for a great first treat the next morning.

The beer was enjoyed as Mrs. Sip and I went to ride the High Roller in one of their Happy Half Hour (Open Bar in the Sky) cabins. Mrs. Sip’s girl group had done this a few days earlier, but one of their crew chose not to use her ticket. That ticket was then given to me, with Mrs. Sip picking up another one for herself through Expedia for $35. This made our experience very reasonable when split between the two of us.

As for the ride itself, it was a lot of fun. Our bartender was very personable, although with the constant drinking and chatting, I had to remind myself to take in the view, as well. Mrs. Sip had consumed five drinks during her first ride, so my goal was to top her personal best and I did so with six beverages. These were all simple mixes, such as rum and cola and gin and lemon-lime soda, but we were also allowed one shot each, with the bartender serving up a round of tequila-Chambord shooters. Wine and beer was also available onboard, as well as a variety of sodas and juices, covering all the bases. Riders were allowed to leave with one drink at the end of the revolution.

As if we hadn’t drank enough already, we rejoined the girls – who were looking after Baby Sip because she wasn’t allowed to ride with us – and popped into the Fuel Bar, home to amazing flair bartenders and boozy 2-for-1 cocktails. Unfortunately, on this occasion, the place was packed with a bunch of guys smoking in the small space. As I waited outside with Baby Sip, the girls grabbed drinks, with Mrs. Sip selecting a pair of Mai Tais for us. The rest of the afternoon was spent riding the wave of our buzzes, while I added to mine with a pint of Founder’s Brewing All Day IPA Session Ale, as well as working on a bottle of New Amsterdam Vodka the girls hadn’t finished, implementing a variety of mixers.

For dinner that night, we visited Mon Ami Gabi, figuring we’d be able to get a fancier meal in while Baby Sip napped in her stroller. No such luck, as she has a habit of waking up as we’re about to eat. Luckily, we had a very helpful and understanding server, as well as restaurant manager. We split the restaurant’s Chilled Seafood Platter (lobster, jumbo shrimp, oysters, and salmon), paired with a bottle Vidal-Fleury Viognier. The meal wasn’t cheap, but it was nice to treat ourselves on this special occasion of Mrs. Sip being able to have the platter again, which she couldn’t do when we last visited Vegas while she was pregnant.

To prove we here at The Sip Advisor are not all about getting hammered, we spent our third day travelling to the Valley of Fire State Park (via rental car) to do the scenic drive the area is famous for. We weren’t able to do any of the small hikes, as Baby Sip fell asleep and we didn’t want to disturb her, but the sights were amazing and the drive was a nice break away from the strip. Part two of our travels will look at St. Patrick’s Day spent in Las Vegas among other shenanigans!